The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 3, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Today, I am signing an Executive Order directing federal agencies to expand
and coordinate their efforts to combat a serious environmental threat:
the introduction and spread of plants and animals not native to the United
States.

Many Americans are all too familiar with gypsy moths and other non-native
insects that devour our gardens and trees. Few realize, however,
that countless other non-native plants and animals are upsetting nature's
balance, squeezing out native species, causing severe economic damage,
and transforming our landscape. Those affected range from Western
ranchers plagued by a weed called leafy spurge to Chicago homeowners whose
stately maple trees have fallen prey to the Asian long-horned beetle.
Some experts estimate the cost to the American economy to be as high as
$123 billion a year.

The Executive Order mobilizes the federal government to defend against
these aggressive predators and pests. Led by the Department of the
Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce, federal agencies will work together
to prevent the introduction of non-native species and control those already
here. My fiscal year 2000 budget proposes an additional $29 million
to support these efforts, and I urge Congress to join us in protecting
our economy and our natural heritage against the threat of non-native species.